Railroad car ventilator

ABSTRACT

A railroad car ventilator comprises a housing body for mounting on the roof of a railroad car and a vertically oriented conduit connecting the interior of the housing body to the interior of the railroad car. The housing body is is formed with air flow passage means connecting the conduit to the railroad car exterior. A plurality of moisture draining elements are positioned in the air flow passage means, and each element comprises a vertically oriented plate of corrosion-resistant plastic composition material, and having a horizontally arched portion formed with vertically extending corrugations. Each plate is further formed with horizontally oriented stepped flanges at the upper and lower ends of the arched portion, whereby the elements may be readily arranged in stacked relation. A hinged shutter plate controls communication between the interior and the exterior of the railroad car through the ventilator, and is spring biased to either a stable closed position or a stable opening position. The ventilator may be used either as an air inlet or an air exhaust ventilator, suitable damper plates or the like being provided for converting the operation from air supply to air exhaust.

United States Patent lnventor Toraichi Shinya 9-34, Koshein Nibancho, Nishinomiya, Japan Appl. No. 817,800 Filed Apr. 21, I969 Patented July 20, 1971 RAILROAD CAR VENTILATOR 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 98/8, 98/62 lnt.Cl B60l,F23l 17/04 Field of Search 98/8; 1162 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,982,747 l2/l934 Kurth 98/8 5/l963 Berliner 98/8 Primary Examiner-William J. Wye Att0rney--McGlew and Toren ABSTRACT: A railroad car ventilator comprises a housing body for mounting on the roof of a railroad car and a vertically oriented conduit connecting the interior of the housing body to the interior of the railroad car. The housing body is is formed with air flow passage means connecting the conduit to the railroad car exterior. A plurality of moisture draining elements are positioned in the air flow passage means, and each element comprises a vertically oriented plate of corrosion-resistant plastic composition material, and having a horizontally arched portion formed with vertically extending corrugations. Each plate is further fonned with horizontally oriented stepped flanges at the upper and lower ends of the arched portion, whereby the elements may be readily arranged in stacked relation. A hinged shutter plate controls communication between the interior and the exterior of the railroad car through the ventilator, and is spring biased to either a stable closed position or a stable opening position. The ventilator may be used either as an air inlet or an air exhaust ventilator, suitable damper plates or the like being provided for converting the operation from air supply to air exhaust.

RAILROAD CAR VENTILATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Roof mounted ventilators for railroad cars usually include drain boards to intercept and catch moisture, such as rain drops, from the air entering the railroad car. In known ventilators, these drain boards have been made of metal, and the metal, due to the moisture thereon, is subject to corrosion.

Such ventilators further include shutters operable to open or close the ventilating air passage, and these shutters are intended to be operated easily from within the railroad car, when necessary. However, no known shutters for roofmounted railroad car ventilators are easy to operate from inside the car and may not remain stably in either one of two positions.

Additionally, no railroad car ventilators have been of a double purpose type, either supplying air to the interior of the car or exhausting air from the interior of the car. It would be desirable to have a ventilator which is readily convertible from air supply operation to air exhaust operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to railroad car ventilators and, more particularly, to an improved, roof-mounted railroad car ventilator including improved moisture draining means and an improved shutter, and capable of selective operation either to supply air to the car interior or to. exhaust air from the car in terior.

In accordance with the invention, a railroad car ventilator includes a housing body constructed for mounting on the roof of a railroad car and having its interior defining air flow passage means. A plurality of moisture draining elements are positioned in the air flow passage means, and each element comprises a vertically orientedplate of corrosion-resistant plastic composition material havinga horizontally arched portion, formed with vertically extending corrugations. Horizontally oriented substantially parallel. flanges are provided at the upper and lower ends of the arched portions, and are formed with a pair of steps whereby the draining elements may be easily stacked.

The ventilator further includes a hinged shutter plate provided at the upper end of a vertical conduit or the like communicating with the interior of the railroad car and with the air flow passage means of the ventilator. This shutter plate is operated byan angle lever or bell crank having a short arm and a long arm and pivoted, at thejunction of the two arms, to a fixed support at the lower end of the vertical conduit. The end of the short arm of the leveris connected to the shutter plate by an articulated link. The end of the long'arm of the lever is provided with an aperture to receive a hook or the like, such as the hook on the end of a pole, for operating the hinged shutter plate. A spring extends between the fixed member and the end of the short; arm and crosses over the pivotal connection at the bend ofithe-angle lever.

The railroad car ventilator in accordance with the invention is furthermore designed for eitherrair supply operation of air exhaust operation, and includes hinged covers for an exhaust opening provided in a center portion of one sidewall. A damper plate ispivoted to a center rod which substantially equally divides the exhaust opening, and a pair of changeover plates, for closing or opening a pair. of enclosed passages, are hinged to respective side rods andspaced laterally, in either direction, from the center rodandpositioned substantially halfway between the center rod-andaa respective lateral edge of the exhaust opening.

An object of the invention is toyprovide improved moisture draining elements for railroad carventilators.

Another objectis to providesuclr moisture draining elements which arereadily interchangeable and are formedof corrosion-resistant plastic composition material.

A further object of-the invention is to provide such moisture draining elements in a form facilitating arrangement of the element in a stack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a railroad car ventilator having an irnproved shutter plate operating means of simple construction and is designed for easy operation, as well as for maintenance ofthe shutter plate stably in either the open position or the closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a railroad car ventilator which may be termed a double-purpose ventilator and which is adaptable either for supplying air to the interior of the railroad car or exhausting air from the interior of the railroad car and not requiring any power operated means for ventilation.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of a typical cmbodimcnt thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings:

FIG. I is a plan view ofa railroad car ventilator illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the ventilator as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view ofa moisture draining element used in the railroad car ventilator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view illustrating the stacked assembly of moisture draining elements such as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view of a shutter plate and operating device therefor, as used] in the ventilator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the operating device shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a part plant and part horizontal cross-sectional view, to a much larger scale, of the ventilator shown in FIG. I, and illustrating further details thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a railroad car ventilator embodying the invention includes a box-type body 1 having apertured legs or the like 2 for mounting body I on the roof3 ofa railroad car. The ventilator is mounted on the railroad car so that the legs or straps 2 extendlaterally of the car with the longitudinally direction of flow into the ventilator corresponding to the direction of movement of the railroad car.

The car ventilator shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 has its interior formed to define air flow passage means in which are positioned a plurality of moisture draining elements 4, 4' and 4" arranged to entrain or trap moisture, such as rain drops, from the ventilating air entering the car. Fresh air enters the ventilator through either ofa pair of end openings 5 and 5, which are at longitudinal ends of body 1, the air entering either one of these openings in accordance with the: direction of operation of the railroad car. Thus, if the end opening 5 faces in the direction of movement of the railroad car, fresh air will enter through the opening 5.

As best seen in FIG. 3, each of the moisture draining elements 4, 4' and 4" is molded of corrosion-resistant plastic material to define a vertically oriented horizontally arched portion 6, 6', 6" formed with vertically extending corrugations, and horizontalflanges at the'upper and lower ends of arched portion 6, 6', 6" these flanges being stepped to provide an inner flange portion 7, 7, 7' and an outer flange portion 8, 8', 8". By virtue of'the construction of the moisture draining elements, it is possible to assemble the same easily and firmly into the railroad car ventilator, as better illustrated in FIG. 4, by nesting or overlapping the outerflanges 8, 8', 8" of a draining element on the inner flanges7, 7', 7" of an adjacent draining element. Furthermore, the moisture draining elements are readily exchangeable with other identically constructed moisture draining elements, formed by molding plastic composition material in a mass production operation. Thereby, the

cost for production and maintenance of the moisture draining elements, and thus of the ventilator, is greatly decreased. The use of corrosion-resistant plastic composition material has a further advantage in that it prevents corrosion damages under severely corrosive conditions, to the moisture draining elements.

Referring to H05. 2, 5 and 6, the railroad car ventilator embodying the invention has a shutter plate 9 which is positioned at the upper end of a vertical conduit 10 whose lower end opens into the interior 11 of a railroad car and whose upper end opens into the interior of housing body 1. Shutter plate 9 is mounted on a pivot 12 for swinging between a closed position, when the ventilator is not in operation and in which plate 9 closes conduit 10, and an open position when the ventilator is in use, in which shutter plate 9 is lifted to engage housing body 1.

Suitable operating means are provided to move shutter plate 9 between its open position and its closed position. As best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the operating means comprises an angle lever or bell crank 13 which is pivoted, at the junction of its two arms, to a fixed bar 14 at the lower end of conduit 10. The end ofa short arm 15 of lever 13 is connected to shutter plate 9 by an articulated link 16. The end of a long arm 17 of lever 13 is formed with an aperture 18 to receive an operating hook or the like for operation of the shutter from within the railroadcar when the shutter is to be changed from its open position to its closed position or vice versa. The operating means further includes a tension spring 19 connected between fixed bar 14 and the end of short arm 15, spring 19 extending over the pivot at the bend ofthe lever 13.

In the position of shutter plate 9 shown in H0. 5 by solid lines, the shutter plate is closed and, in the position shown by chained lines, the shutter is open. When a trainman within the railroad car desires to operate the ventilator from a closed position to an open position, he hooks the aperture 18 and moves long arm 17 of lever 13 to change the position of the lever from the solid line position to the chain line position. Short arm 15 pivots with long arm 17, to change from the solid line position to the chain line position. Spring 19 provides some resistance during the first half of this movement, and provides some assistance in the latter half of the movement. Link 16 is lifted to change from the solid line position to the chain line position, resulting in shutter plate 9 being swung from its solid line position to its chain line position and to the open position. By virtue of the spring 19, shutter plate 9 is maintained firmly in contact with body 1 in a stable set position. In the same manner, shutter plate 9 can be moved from the open position to the closed position only by positive operation of the long arm 17 of lever 13, as by engaging a hook in aperture 18 and pulling arm 17 to swing lever 13.

By virtue of the operating means for shutter plate 9, it is possible to operate the railroad car ventilator, by changing the stable position of shutter plate 9, in an easy, smooth and reliable action, as the operation needs only the necessary force to move lever 13, and this may be applied by a hook. The operating force is necessary only during the first half of the movement, while the operating force is decreased when the tension of spring 19 assists the operation during the latter half of the movement, while the operating force is decreased when the tension of spring 19 assists the operation during the latter half 7 of the movement. In each of the set positions, open or closed, shutter plate 9 is maintained stably in the operative position, and will not change position even if the railroad car is subject to vibration, as the initial tension of spring 19 forces shutter plate 9 to remain stably in each of its two operative positions.

As best seen in FIG. 7, the railroad car ventilator forming the subject matter of the invention is designed as a dual purpose ventilator, which can either supply fresh air to the interior of a railroad car or exhaust air from the interior of a railroad car. Referring to FIG. 7, an exhaust opening 20 is formed centrally of a sidewall of housing body 1, and exhaust opening 20 is arranged to be selectively left open or closed in accordance with the position of cover plates 21 and 21 which are hinged to this sidewall by respective pin connections 21 and 21" mounted at the opposite lateral edges of exhaust opening 20. At the center of opening 20, a center vertical pin rod 22 is fixed to body 1 by respective pin connections 21" and 21" mounted at the opposite lateral edges of exhaust openings 20, and a damper plate 23 is hinged on pin rod 22. On either side of center rod 22, there are a pair of vertical side rods 24 and 24', each located substantially midway between center rod 22 and the adjacent edge of exhaust opening 20. A pair of changeover plates 25 and 25 are provided, and each plate is pivoted to a respective side rod 24 and 24 for either closing or opening of a pair of enclosed passages 26 and 26 respectively.

It is desirable that a railroad car ventilator be used not only to supply fresh air to the interior of a railroad car, during warm weather, but also to exhaust air from the interior of the railroad car during cold weather. When the ventilator is to be used to supply air to the interior of the railroad car, cover plates 21 and 21 and changeover plates 25 and 25' are moved to the chain line positions shown in H6. 7. Plates 25 and 25'- are locked to body 1, in this position, by respective hooks 25" and 25", and cover plates 21 and 21' are locked in closed position by a butterfly nut 21 threaded on a horizontal stud bolt 21" on the vertical pillar 22". Fresh air will enter through either end opening 5 or 5, depending upon the direction of movement of the railroad car, and will push and turn damper plate 23 to close the opposite inner opening to prevent flow of air between openings 5 and 5'. Thus the air will be forced to flow into the conduit 10 to be supplied to the interior of the railroad car.

While fresh air is passing through the moisture removing elements 4,4 and 4", moisture or rain in the air will be caught by these elements and deposited on the corrugated surfaces of the respective arched portions 6,6 and 6" moisture will drip down and be collected in the bottom wells of body 1, acting as a drain, and can drain off through suitable drain holes such as those indicated at 27,27 and in FlGS. 2 and 7.

For use of the ventilator is exhaust air from the interior of the car, cover plates 21 and 21 and changeover plates 25 and 25' are moved to the solid line positions shown in FIG. 7. In this position, cover plates 21 and 21' are locked to body 1 by hooks 21 and 21", respectively, and changeover plates 25 and 25' are locked, in engagement with the partitions defining the passages 26 and 26 by hooks 25" and 25" engaged between vertical pillar 22 and the horizontal flanges 25" and 25" of plates 25 and 25', respectively. By virtue of these connections, damper plate 23 is locked, at the center position between passages 26 and 26', by being interposed and held between the horizontal flanges of plates 25 and 25 as shown in solid lines in the left half of FIG. 7. Thereby, fresh air entering through an end opening 5 or 5 is directed to flow outwardly through the outer portion of one half-opening of exhaust opening 20, and to work in the nature of an ejector for the inner half of such half-opening of exhaust opening 20. The resulting negative pressure causes waste air from the interior of the car to be drawn through vertical passage 10 and exhausted through the inner half-opening of one half of exhaust opening 20. Thereby, the railroad car ventilator forming the subject matter of the invention can be used both as an air supply ventilator and as an air exhaust ventilator, either condition of operation being selectable at will by changing the positions of simple and reliable parts in an easy manner.

What I claim is:

l. A railroad car ventilator comprising, in combination, a housing body constructed for mounting on the roof of a railroad car; air flow means connecting the interior of said housing body to the railroad car interior; said housing body defining air flow passage means connecting said air flow means to the railroad car exterior; and a plurality of moisture draining elements positioned in said air flow passage means, each element comprising a vertically oriented plate of plastic composition material having a horizontally arched portion formed with vertically extending corrugations, and horizontally oriented substantially parallel flanges at the upper and lower ends of said arched portion.

2. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim I, in which said flanges are stepped intermediate the ends thereof to provide an outer flange portion stepped outwardly relative to an inner flange portion, whereby said draining elements may be arranged in stacked relation with the outer flange portions of one draining element overlapping the inner flange portions of an adjacent draining element.

3. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 2, in which said draining elements are formed of corrosion-resistant plastic composition material.

4. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 2, in which said draining elements are readily exchangeable and replaceable.

5. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 1, in which said air flow means comprises a vertically oriented conduit; a shutter plate hinged to an upper edge of said conduit and movable between a closed position, blocking air flow through said conduit and an open position, providing for air flow through said conduit; an angle lever pivotally mounted, at the junction of its arms, on a fixed member at the lower end of said conduit, said angle lever including a short arm and a long arm; a link articulatedly connecting the short arm of said lever to said shutter plate; the long arm of said lever having an aperture in its outer end to receive a hooked operating member; and a tension spring extending between said member and the end of said short arm, said spring extending across the pivoted portion of said angle lever.

6. A railroad car ventilator as claimed in claim 1, in which said housing body is formed with air inlet openings at opposite longitudinally ends thereof; said housing body having a sidewall formed with an exhaust opening substantially centrally thereof; and means operable selectively to direct air from one of said inlet openings to said air flow means of from said air flow means to said exhaust openings.

7. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 6, including a pair of covers for said exhaust opening each hingedly mounted at a respective opposite lateral edge of said exhaust opening; a vertically oriented center rod at the center of said exhaust opening; a damper plate pivoted on said center rod; said air flow passage means comprising a pair of laterally enclosed passages communicating with said air flow means; a pair of additional rods extending parallel to said center rod and each positioned substantially midway between said center rod and a respective lateral edge ofsaid exhaust opening; and a pair of changeover plates each pivoted on a respective one of said additional rods and movable between a first position closing said laterally enclosed passages and a second position opening said laterally enclosed passages; said damper plate having a length such that, when it swung in either direction, it will close the opening to a respective one of said laterally enclosed passages; whereby, when said hinged covers are closed and said changeover plates are open air will flow through one of said inlet openings into one laterally enclosed passage, moving said damper plate to block the other laterally enclosed passage, and inwardly through said air flow means to the interior of the railroad car; said covers, in the open position, with said changeover plates in the closed position, providing for air to flow through one of said inlet passages and out through that portion of said exhaust opening located between one of said second rods and the lateral edge of said exhaust opening to provide an ejector action for that portion of the exhaust opening between said one second rod and said center rod to draw air to flow outwardly through said air flow means and through the associated one of said laterally enclosed passages to be discharged through said exhaust opening. 

1. A railroad car ventilator comprising, in combination, a housing body constructed for mounting on the roof of a railroad car; air flow means connecting the interior of said housing body to the railroad car interior; said housing body defining air flow passage means connecting said air flow means to the railroad car exterior; and a plurality of moisture draining elements positioned in said air flow passage means, each element comprising a vertically oriented plate of plastic composition material having a horizontally arched portion formed with vertically extending corrugations, and horizontally oriented substantially parallel flanges at the upper and lower ends of said arched portion.
 2. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 1, in which said flanges are stepped intermediate the ends thereof to provide an outer flange portion stepped outwardly relative to an inner flange portion, whereby said draining elements may be arranged in stacked relation with the outer flange portions of one draining element overlapping the inner flange portions of an adjacent draining element.
 3. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 2, in which said draining elements are formed of corrosion-resistant plastic composition material.
 4. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 2, in which said draining elements are readily exchangeable and replaceable.
 5. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 1, in which said air flow means comprises a vertically oriented conduit; a shutter plate hinged to an upper edge of said conduit and movable between a closed position, blocking air flow through said conduit and an open position, providing for air flow through said conduit; an angle lever pivotally mounted, at the junction of its arms, on a fixed member at the lower end of said conduit, said angle lever including a short arm and a long arm; a link articulatedly connecting the short arm of said lever to said shutter plate; the long arm of said lever having an aperture in its outer end to receive a hooked operating member; and a tension spring extending between said member and the end of said short arm, said spring extending across the pivoted portion of said angle lever.
 6. A railroad car ventilAtor as claimed in claim 1, in which said housing body is formed with air inlet openings at opposite longitudinally ends thereof; said housing body having a sidewall formed with an exhaust opening substantially centrally thereof; and means operable selectively to direct air from one of said inlet openings to said air flow means of from said air flow means to said exhaust openings.
 7. A railroad car ventilator, as claimed in claim 6, including a pair of covers for said exhaust opening each hingedly mounted at a respective opposite lateral edge of said exhaust opening; a vertically oriented center rod at the center of said exhaust opening; a damper plate pivoted on said center rod; said air flow passage means comprising a pair of laterally enclosed passages communicating with said air flow means; a pair of additional rods extending parallel to said center rod and each positioned substantially midway between said center rod and a respective lateral edge of said exhaust opening; and a pair of changeover plates each pivoted on a respective one of said additional rods and movable between a first position closing said laterally enclosed passages and a second position opening said laterally enclosed passages; said damper plate having a length such that, when it swung in either direction, it will close the opening to a respective one of said laterally enclosed passages; whereby, when said hinged covers are closed and said changeover plates are open air will flow through one of said inlet openings into one laterally enclosed passage, moving said damper plate to block the other laterally enclosed passage, and inwardly through said air flow means to the interior of the railroad car; said covers, in the open position, with said changeover plates in the closed position, providing for air to flow through one of said inlet passages and out through that portion of said exhaust opening located between one of said second rods and the lateral edge of said exhaust opening to provide an ejector action for that portion of the exhaust opening between said one second rod and said center rod to draw air to flow outwardly through said air flow means and through the associated one of said laterally enclosed passages to be discharged through said exhaust opening. 